Long on Quality – SAY Award musings

The list seems to have met with general approval from the Twittersphere at least and MPT isn’t going to grumble given that seven of my top 20 Scottish LPs of 2013 have made the longlist.

I’m most pleased of all that Adam Stafford’s ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’ has made the list. Never mind the best Scottish album of the year, ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’ was my best album of the year by a noticeable margin. No small praise in a year full of great LPs.

I’m really chuffed too to see long term faves Kid Canaveral make the cut – ‘Now That You Are A Dancer’ was a real progression from their excellent debut ‘Shouting at Wildlife’ and hopefully this nomination will bring the band some tangible rewards.

Having said that I can’t complain about the longlist I am disappointed particularly for a trio of records that didn’t make it.

The Spook School’s ‘Dress Up’ was the out and out guitar pop record of the year whilst Spare Snare’s abrasive return ‘Our Jazz’ and Sparrow & the Workshop’s ‘Murderopolis’ were fine records well worthy of a nomination too. But maybe let’s not be greedy, eh?

Who’s going to win? I find it difficult to see past BAMS winners CHVRCHES although I’d expect Frightened Rabbit to run them close. If you’re looking for a non-rock winner then Young Fathers might be worth a punt.

The public vote (the winner of which is guaranteed a place in the Top 10) takes place for 3 days between 26th and 28th May with the longlist cut to a shortlist of 10 thereafter. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Barrowlands on 19th June.